Endoscopic devices and procedures may be used to diagnose, monitor and treat various conditions by close examination of the internal organs. By way of background, a conventional endoscope generally is an instrument having a device for visualizing the interior of an internal region of a body and a lumen for inserting one or more treatment devices therethrough. A wide range of applications have been developed for the general field of endoscopes including by way of example the following: arthroscope, angioscope, bronchoscope, choledochoscope, colonoscope, cytoscope, duodenoscope, enteroscope, esophagogastro-duodenoscope (gastroscope), laparoscope, laryngoscope, nasopharyngo-neproscope, sigmoidoscope, thoracoscope, and utererscope (individually and collectively, “endoscope”).
In some endoscopic devices, visualization of the internal regions may be obtained using a video camera. The video camera provides a viewing field to observe the surgical instrumentation or procedure within the viewing field. Medical ultrasound has also been used to monitor a surgical procedure within a viewing field. Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) utilizes high frequency sound waves to create an image of living tissue or an echogenic surface. Ultrasound waves are emitted from transducers located at the distal end of an endoscope. Surgical instruments having an echogenic surface reflect the ultrasound waves and enable an endoscopist to monitor the location of the device within the patient.
In some procedures, medical devices are inserted through the endoscope to access the internal organs. For example, an elongate device, such as a needle, may be inserted through an accessory channel of the endoscope for diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.
Endoscopes manufactured by different companies may have different types of connectors at the accessory channel port for connecting with elongate medical devices. The different type of connector at the accessory channel port requires that each elongate medical device include the appropriate connector for each different type of endoscope. The requirement for different connectors on a variety of different types of elongate medical devices greatly increases the need for increased inventory of the medical devices, depending on the type of endoscope that will be used during a medical procedure. The increased inventory also increases the costs associated with these medical procedures.
It is desirable to have an adaptor that is universally connectable to the accessory channel port of any type of endoscope, and which includes a portion that is sized and shaped to receive an elongate medical device chosen by the endoscopist.